The elusive gate to the film industry
Written by Elma Adisya | Read in Indonesian
Joe (not his real name) is only in his third year in the film industry, focusing on series for movie streaming and web series channels. In the beginning, Joe and his team mainly accepted video advertisement projects. However, one day, one of his team members, Dian (an alias), told him that they got an offer to do a series for one of the biggest streaming services in Indonesia.
That first project could be said to be the toughest lesson for Joe, who was still a greenhorn in the film industry. Huge responsibilities and practically zero experience made Joe realise that the film industry is hell for people who do not have ample production and risk management skills.
From the start, Joe didn't have any expectations or imagination about producing a series, even though some technical things were similar to the production of advertising videos. What made the project different was that he and his team would be responsible as line producers and manage a production budget of around Rp5 billion.
“It was my first project and I had to manage such a huge budget. Initially, there were three of us, me and my team, but a team member backed out. So there were only me and my other partner," the filmmaker, who is currently working on his third series, told TFR.
Gatekeeping is not without reason
Joe talked a lot about technical matters which might seem trivial to outsiders, but are actually very important and should not be taken lightly, no matter how small.
He said that with a budget of that size, he had to be able to manage the 60-day production. One of the most difficult challenges for him was selecting the production crew.
“I just realised at that time that finding a crew is really difficult. It was only thanks to my colleague who entered the film industry earlier that we could utilise their network and contacts. Choosing the crew is really tricky because they are vital in the production process," he said.
Joe explained that one mistake would have a huge impact on the course of production. Every hour, minute and second is money, so when that money is wasted due to a crew member's mistake, the well-being of the entire crew will be affected.
"So, are you ready to take such a big responsibility and have the ability to solve problems in the erratic film production?" Joe said.
This is why many production teams in the film industry, whether long or short films or series, choose to work only with people they trust. Consequently, some see that this actually develops into a gatekeeping phenomenon that is detrimental to newcomers. However, Joe offers another perspective.
He does not deny that certain circles, with the same people, do exist, but he sees that this happens because they believe that people they know and have worked with before are the ones who can take on big responsibilities in a particular production.
"Apart from that, when the crew you choose suits your way of working, it will be very helpful in terms of paperwork related to money, because every production house or OTT streaming company has a different bureaucracy. If you're not familiar with the bureaucracy, the fund won't be disbursed."
Starting from zero and the infamous ‘career ladder’
Apart from choosing a crew, Joe also talked about the existence of a career ladder in the industry. He said the ladder does exist, but there are various challenges to reach or find it; although for him, climbing the ladder in a good and proper manner is important.
"Be grateful that the ladder exists, because when you are to be given responsibilities beyond your abilities when you are not ready, it will affect not only you, but also everyone in the production. An example? Me, I'm one of those people who didn't climb the ladder properly, and suddenly got those big responsibilities? Am I surviving? Nope.”
That's why for Joe, a training system for those who seek to enter the film industry is very important, without the need for each individual to actually enter big production. One organisation that he thinks is good at training systems and regenerating new talents is the Indonesian Cinematography Society (ICS). This organisation regularly holds training related to cinematography techniques in the field and workers’ safety
"In my opinion, this training system is very important, because it drives the regeneration of film workers," he added.
Besides the training system, Joe said there is also no harm in increasing the number of short film projects. That is because it could help film graduates or people who want to work on big film projects hone their managerial skills, especially regarding risk management.
“I think, for me, that ladder is not just about fame and links, it is about RISK. The higher you climb the ladder, the bigger the risk you will face, the risk can even involve people's lives," he said.
Nepotism gatekeeping also exists
The issue of gatekeeping was also discussed by Andita, 25, TFR’s source for the article "Where do Indonesian film graduates go". She said that in terms of production costs, recruiting people who are trusted for their capabilities will really make the shooting process easier.
However, she also does not deny that gatekeeping is often related to nepotism, which favours those from prominent family backgrounds with connections to important positions in the government or industry. As a result, these people will have a greater chance of getting connections to important projects or people in the industry.
Andhita is aware that today’s conditions are less than ideal for newcomers, but she shared some tips to survive.
"In 2019, networking with people in the film industry could be done while we were still in college, like by volunteering at film festivals and making friends with our lecturers. But now in 2023, the opportunities are wide open, like actively participating in pitching forums, interning at film studios. So the career path has improved."
“Be committed and consistent with what you do, and you have to know who you want to associate with in the film industry. Work ethic is also very important. That's why it's important to have the ‘empty glass’ principle; not plain, but how you are open to various knowledge and carry a film graduate title, and be ready to learn new things," she concluded.